Mold dumping apparatus



Nov. 18, 1947. F. B. HENRY MOLD DUMPING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2' lxvvE/vroiQ; FEED B. HENRY] Patented Nov. 18, 19472,431,174 7 MOLD DUMPIN G APPARATUS Fred B. Henry, Columbus, Ohio,assignor to The Jefirey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of OhioApplication March 20, 1946, Serial No. 655,749

4 Claims. (01. 21* 1-62) This invention relates to a conveyer and moreparticularly to an improved mold conveyer for use in a foundry.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved conveyer of theabove mentioned type and particularly one in which there is improvedmechanism for tilting the mold-carrying pallet or platform of theindividual cars of a mold conveyer or otherwise removing the molds fromthe cars when they reach a predetermined position by hydraulic or otherpower operated mechanism which when once initiated continues to effectthe mold removing operation independently of the travel of the moldconveyer.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means and morespecifically a power operated air cylinder for removing molds from amold conveyer.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of mold conveyer system incorporatingthe features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing particularly the mechanismfor dumping or removing a mold adjacent a, predetermined position, suchas a shalze-out position; and

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic illustration of the mechanism fordumping the mold, including the control means therefor.

The foundry mold conveyer system illustrated in Fig. l of the drawingsin many of its particulars may follow that disclosed in the patent toAlexis W. Lemmon, No. 1,973,005, dated September 11, 193 i, for ConveyorMechanism, and unless a contrary fact is indicated the conveyermechanism is to be understood as following the structure disclosed indetail in said patent.

Briefly described, the conveyer mechanism, which is indicated generallyby the reference character ill, includes an endless oblong track formed.by a pair of spaced rails l l supported on an appropriate frame l2 (seeFig. 2). Mounted on the endless track 5 l for travel therealong is anendless conveyer 53 which includes a plurality of individual cars itwhich are coupled together by coupling means l5 which is disclosed morein detail in the above mentioned Patent 1,973,005.

A workmansrotating platform it is located adjacent one of thesemi-circular ends of the conveyer mechanism Ill so that molders mayprepare molds on the individual cars 54 in n efficient manner. A motordriving mechanism I1 is pro- 2 vided to drive the endless conveyer I3and the platform l6.

Adjacent one position of the conveyer mechanism Hi there is a shake-outscreen or other receptacle l8 which is adapted to receive the individualmolds as they are dumped from the conveyer It, as hereinafter described,and to shake out sand from the castings and flasks.

A particular feature of the invention is the provision of improvedmechanism for dumping the molds or flasks on to the shake-out orreceptacle I 8. To this end, each of the cars I4 is provided with apivoted pallet or platform H] which is pivotally mounted at 20 adjacentthe outer edge thereof with respect to the frame of the car l4 of whichit is a part along a horizontal longitudinally extending axis. By virtueof this fact it is possible to tilt the platform or pallet l9 todischarge a mold or flask or anything else which is resting thereon, byswinging it to the dotted line position as illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the outer edgeof each platform or pallet [9 may be provided with upstanding lugs 2| toprevent inadvertent discharge of mold bottom boards, but which willpermit the ready discharge of the molds and castings on to the shake-outor receptacle l8 over a guide chute 22 whenever the platform I9 is swungupwardly to the dischargeposition illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To effect this swinging movement I provide a power operated reciprocalmotor, preferably a fluid or air cylinder motor 23, the cylinder ofwhich is preferably mounted in trunnions 24 about a supporting portionof the frame l2. The air cylinder motor 23 includes a piston rod 25having a bifurcated head 26 which carries a grooved roller 21. Groovedroller 2'! is adapted to contact a short rod carried on the inner andlower edge of the platform [9 which is adjacent the discharging positionat the time the cylinder 23 is expanded as hereinafter explained morecompletely. That is, each platform l9 carries a rod 28 on its inner edgewhich moves rectilinearly in a horizontal plane as it passes the aircylinder 23 and in case the air cylinder 23 is actuated or expanded, theroller 27 contacts the rod 28 and swings the platform [9 to dischargeposition, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

An important feature of the invention is that the air motor 23 has itscylinder pivotally mounted near its bottom at a position below ahorizontal plane passing through the tilting tops or platforms l9 andthe entire piston motor is below this plane and generally laterallylocated with respect to the conveyor l3. Furthermore, once thereciprocating motor 23 is energized it determines its tilting operationand the return of the tilting table 19 through power which is.independent of the motive power for the conveyor l3. Also, as a platforml9 swings upwardly, the piston rod 25 of the motor 23 is continuously ina plane below the plane of the platform l9 which swings during thistilting operation. The positioning of the motor 23 below the plane ofthe tables IQ, of course, eliminates any interference with direct accessto a, mold on a platform and makes possible overhanging molds and moldbottom boards Without interfering with the travel of the conveyor I3.

Expansion or contraction. of the cylinder 23. is elfected as follows.Said cylinder is of the double acting type so that there is an air orfluid line, pipe or conduit 29 leading to the piston rod end thereof,and a similar fluid line, pipe or conduit 30 leading to the head endthereof from a double acting control valve 3|. A source of air or otherfluid under pressure is provided which leads to the valve 3| by way ofpipe or conduit 32. Valve 31 is also provided with an exhaust line orconduit 33. A drip lubricator 34 may also be provided in the pressureline or pipe 32.

Valve 31' is operated in reverse directions by a pair of solenoids 35and 36. The solenoids 35 and 36 are selectively energized from a powerline 31" under the control of switches 38 and 39, respectively. Switches38- and 39 are spaced along a horizontal member of the frame l2 and arelocated ahead of the air cylinder 23 when considered in the direction oftravel of the conveyer, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 ofthe drawings.

Each car l4 carries a removable switch actuating plate 43 which is sopositioned that when it is carried by the car l4 it will actuate theactuating arm of the switches 39 and 38 in that order. By the simpleexpedient of removing an actuating plate from a car I4 the following carwill not be dumped because the switches 38 and 39 will not be actuated.Thus the operator can select the carswhich are to be actuated or not byattachingor' removing the actuating plates 43, and each actuating plate40 controls the dumping or nondumpingacti'on of the following car l4.

Assuming that the conveyer I3 is traveling in the direction of thearrows seen in Figs. 1 and 3 and carrying molds which have been pouredto form castings, which molds and formed castings have had adequate timeto cool so as to solidify the castings, and it is desired to dump themolds or flasks together with the castings onto the receptacle orshake-out [8, the operation of the power operated dumping or dischargingmechanism will be as follows. As the left-hand car I4, as viewed in Fig.3 of the drawings, reaches the position there illustrated it willcontact the operating lever of switch 39 and thereafter will actuat saidswitch 39. This will energize solenoid 36 which will control valve 3| soas to deliver fluid under pressure from pipe or conduit 32 to pipe orcondut 30 which will initiate the expansion of the cylinder 23. Oncethis expansion is started and by the actuation of valve 3i it is notnecessary to keep the switch 39 closed because the valve 3 I, which isof standard well-known construction, is such that it remains in anyposition to which it is shifted by solenoids 35 or 36 until the other ofthes solenoids actuates it to change its position. Consequently, sincethe conveyer l3 4. has initiated the expansion of the cylinder 23 bytripping the switch 39 this expansion will continue under power, whichis entirely independent of the driving power of the conveyer l3, to tiltthe platform [9 and discharge the mold onto the receptacle or shake-outH3.

Th operating time of the cylinder 23 is such that the mold will becompletely discharged before the conveyer l3 has traveled a sufiicientdistance so that actuating plate til actuates switch 33 and when thisoperation takes place solenoid 35 will be: energized to reverse thevalve 31 and connect the fluidpressure from conduit 32 to conduit 23which will contract the cylinder 23. The valve 3! also provides fordischarge of the cylinder 23 for reverse movements thereof by way ofdischarge or exhaust line 33.

With. the cylinder 23 returned to its contracted position, asillustrated in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the system is obviouslyready to repeat the above described cycle to tilt the platform [9 of asucceeding car M which has been selected for discharge.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the cylinder 23 tilts theplatform i9, but in certain broader aspects of the invention it is to beunderstood that other arrangements may be provided, whereby saidcylinder 23 or power operated mechanism removes the molds from the cars.As one illustration of this, the lugs 2! might be omitted and theplatforms [3 formed rigid with th truck or frame of the cars It and thecylinder 23 placed substantially horizontal at an elevation near that ofthe platform l9. Under such conditions, upon the expansion of thecylinder 23, the roller 21 would contact the side of a mold and simplyslide it off the platform l9. This modification is suggested primarilyto indicate the generic character of my invention in some of its broaderaspects, it being understood, however, that the preferred embodiment isthat illustrated in the drawings.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and Itherefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mold conveyer including an endless conveyer having cars withtilting platforms adapted to support molds, means for tilting saidplatforms at a selected position, said means including a power deviceoperable when once initiated to tip a selected platform independently ofthe movement of said endless conveyer, said power device including anair cylinder mechanism and control means for expanding and contractingit, said control means including actuating mechanism for said cylinder,at least part of which is carried by said endless conveyer, and meanspivotally mounting said air cylinder laterally of said conveyer andbelow said platforms.

2. A mold dumping system which comprises a continuously moving conveyer,mold supports carried by said conveyer and movable relative thereto, aroller element positioned adjacent the conveyer to permit the moldsupports to successively pass over the same, and means for moving theroller element upwardly and over the conveyer to tilt a mold support todischarge a mold therefrom and then return the roller element back tothe side of the conveyer and gradually lower the emptied mold support toseat the same on the conveyer as the mold support passes off of theroller element, said means including a fluid operated cylinderpositioned below a horizontal plane through the tops of said moldsupports.

3. A mold dumping system comprising a continuously movable conveyer,mold supports carried on said conveyer and movable relative thereto, andreciprocal dumping means movable transversely of the moving conveyer tosuccessively dump and lower each of the mold supports during the periodof travel of a mold support over the dumping means, said dumping meansbeing located below a horizontal plane through the tops of said moldsupports.

4. A mold conveyer including an endless conveyer having cars withtilting platforms adapted to support molds, and means for tilting saidplatforms at a selected position, said means including a power deviceoperable when once initiated to tip a selected platform independently ofthe REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 772,569 Kling Oct. 18, 19041,513,576 Benbow Oct. 28, 1924 1,940,732 Schmohl Dec. 26, 1933 2,277,455Rexford Mar. 24, 1942

